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He removed that comment and added "dedicated to being the best person and teammate that I can be." The words are right. Right but hollow. Is there anything beyond those words? He has never uttered one apologetic word.

There might not be enough words to utter that excuse him of beating a woman. It is a cowardly, despicable act. When a 6-foot-4, 280-pound man — owner of a body honed by years in the weight room — beats a woman, it is beyond pathetic. When any man hits a woman, it is pathetic.

We live in an age and in a country where second chances are part of life. That is fair and just. But when someone performs such a cowardly, bullying, pathetic act, where do you draw the line? You draw it here. You draw it when the person expresses genuine remorse and seeks help. If we have learned nothing else, we have learned that domestic abuse happens again. And again. And again.

Then he walks off the field, yelling at the world and slaps a clipboard out of the Cowboys' special teams coach's hands after they had given up a kickoff return for a touchdown. Jimmy Johnson would have cut him the next morning. Tom Landry? Hardy would never have put on a uniform for Landry. Of course, Landry would have had better players on the field anyway. He would never have needed a Greg Hardy.

Jason Garrett has been good for the Cowboys. But he is coaching with hands tied behind his back. He has supposedly had four different talks with Hardy. All on deaf ears? It is hard to be the head coach when the owner is the general manager. Jerry Jones signed Hardy. Jerry Jones defended Hardy, calling him "a real leader." Yes, Jimmy Johnson would have cut Hardy. But Jerry Jones fired Johnson. No, Tom Landry would have never had Hardy. But Jones fired Landry, too.

Evidently, Jones wants to win at all costs. Some costs, though, are not worth it.

In fairness, he helped men like Michael Irvin and Charles Haley. And, maybe ... hopefully, he is trying to help Hardy. If he is truly getting the man help, professional help, then maybe there is some hope.

The easiest thing in the world is to second guess draft picks. In 2011, Jones and company made a very good first round pick. They took offensive tackle Tyron Smith, now one of the best. But two spots later, Houston took J.J. Watt. In 2012, Jones and company did not do as well. They took Morris Claiborne, a cornerback who starts but who is questionable. Three picks later, Carolina took linebacker Luke Kuechly.

Dallas could have put Watt with DeMarcus Ware and Kuechly with Sean Lee and that defense might have been something special, special and filled with good guys. No Greg Hardys need apply.

But that was then and this is now and now is not so good. It seems talent — although we have seen Mr. Hardy knocked on his butt a few times — trumps all. Ask Joseph Randle. The running back has been suspended four games by the NFL for domestic misconduct. But not before he was cut by the Cowboys. They will not put up with such behavior ... not when he had gained only 315 yards in six games.

Poor, misunderstood Greg Hardy. He had to sit out last year and the first four games this year when he was convicted of domestic abuse, of beating a woman. He appealed. She no longer participated. The case was tossed. He lost all that money. Now he is having to scrimp along on a one year, $11.3 million contract. But, hey, Jerry Jones is talking of signing him to a long term deal.

Guess there is hope for Hardy.

The sun will come up again tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow and that beautiful sunrise will forever sing a song of hope.

If you are a fan of the Dallas Cowboys or if you are merely a fan of decency, you can only hope that Hardy will hear that song, that he will get help, that he will one day realize what a despicable and cowardly act he committed.

Then, and only then, can anyone even begin to talk of second chances.

Bill Knight may be reached at 546-6171; bknight@elpasotimes.com; @BillKnightept on Twitter.